U.S. and France Near Deal on Iraq Attack

U.S. and France Near Deal on Iraq Attack: Supposedly we’re about to cut a deal with France[1] on a UN resolution that requires consultation with the UN before an attack…

“The United States and France are moving toward a compromise on Iraq that would oblige the Bush administration to consult the United Nations Security Council before embarking on military action against Saddam Hussein but still leave it the freedom to act alone.

American officials and foreign diplomats said that under the proposed compromise, the United States would take part in a Security Council debate if Iraq failed to comply with expected new United Nations demands for the destruction of its chemical and biological weapons.”

I’m sure some people will be upset that Bush is going to “consult” with the UN but you have to understand what he means by “consult.” Basically it consists of us telling the rest of the UN Security Council what we’re going to do and then…well that’s it actually. Once the Bush administration starts their “consultations,” the rest of the UN Security Council can either like it or lump it.

Either way, the Bush administration has been making it VERY clear that they’re getting tired of dickering with France over this issue. Bush himself has been saying in no uncertain terms that we won’t hesitate to bypass the UN Security Council if necessary. Now Tommy Franks is even getting into the act…

“At a Pentagon news conference, Gen. Tommy R. Franks, the commander of American forces in the Persian Gulf, indicated today that the United States did not need a United Nations Security Council resolution to win allied support for an American-led campaign to eliminate Iraq’s weapons of mass destruction.

General Franks said the Bush administration’s preference would be to work within a Security Council resolution, but failing that, the United States has enough regional and international support to lead a coalition to oust President Hussein and disarm Iraq.”

There’s a freight train going to Iraq and either the French can get on board or they can watch it go by. But the train isn’t stopping for the French or anyone else for that matter….

Endnotes:

cut a deal with France: http://www.nytimes.com/2002/10/30/international/middleeast/30DIPL.html